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&UFFIEIP 

frcowwu 


BY 


WILHELM C& JAKOB GRIMM 


Translation by 
LUCY CRANE 


Pictures by 
JOHN R A E 


DUFFIELD COMPANY PUBLISHERS NEW YORK 



Copyright, 1909, by 
Duffield £? Company 


248458 


THE PREMIER PRESS, NEW YORK 


TABLE of 

CONTENT./, 



The Rabbit’s Bride 

The Death of the Hen 

The Raven .... 

The Frog Prince . 

The Cat and the Mouse, Partners 

The Wolf and the Seven Goslings 

The Wonderful Musician 

The Vagabonds 

The Brother and Sister 

The Golden Goose 

The Gallant Tailor 

The Mouse, the Bird and the Sausage 
Little Red Riding Hood 


1 

4 

8 

21 

30 

36 

43 

50 

55 

70 

80 

100 

104 






The Hare is deceived as were the Wolf and Fox . Frontispiece 

Facing 

Page 

The Robbers fight over their spoils 18 

The Frog feasts royally 26 

The youngest Gosling alone escapes .... 40 

The Simpleton makes the Princess laugh and no wonder 76 

The terrible Unicorn is caught by the nimble Tailor . 96 


The wicked Wolf falls into the trough . 


110 




THE RABBIT'S BRIDE 

There was once a woman who lived with her daughter in a 
beautiful cabbage-garden; and there came a rabbit and ate up all 
the cabbages. At last said the woman to her daughter, — 

“Go into the garden, and drive out the rabbit.” 

“Shoo! shoo!” said the maiden; “don’t eat up all our 
cabbages, little rabbit!” 

“Come, maiden,” said the rabbit, “sit on my tail and go with 
me to my rabbit-hutch.” But the maiden would not. 

Another day, back came the rabbit, and ate away at the cab- 
bages, until the woman said to her daughter, — 

“Go into the garden, and drive away the rabbit.” 

“Shoo! shoo!” said the maiden; “don’t eat up all our 
cabbages, little rabbit!” 

“Come, maiden,” said the rabbit, “sit on my tail and go with 
me to my rabbit-hutch.” But the maiden would not. 


Again, a third time back came the rabbit, and ate away at the 
cabbages, until the woman said to her daughter, — 

“Go into the garden, and drive away the rabbit.” 

“Shoo! shoo!” said the maiden; “don’t eat up all our 
cabbages, little rabbit!” 

“Come, maiden,” said the rabbit, “sit on my tail and go with 
me to my rabbit-hutch.” 

And then the girl seated herself on the rabbit’s tail, and the 
rabbit took her to his hutch. 

“Now,” said he, “set to work and cook some bran and 
cabbage; I am going to bid the wedding guests.” And soon 
they were all collected. Would you like to know who they 
were? Well, I can only tell you what was told to me; all the 
hares came, and the crow who was to be the parson to marry 
them, and the fox for the clerk; and the altar was under the 
rainbow. But the maiden was sad because she was so lonely. 

“Get up! get up!” said the rabbit; “the wedding folk are 


e >*. 


all merry.” But the bride wept and said nothing, and the 
rabbit went away, but very soon came back again. 

“Get up! get up!” said he; “the wedding folk are waiting.” 
But the bride said nothing, and the rabbit went away. Then 
she made a figure of straw, and dressed it in her own clothes, 
and gave it a red mouth, and set it to watch the kettle of bran, 
and then she went home to her mother. Back again came the 
rabbit, saying, “Get up! get up!” and he went up and hit the 
straw figure on the head, so that it tumbled down. 

And the rabbit thought that he had killed his bride, and he 
went away and was very sad. 



3 


THE DEATH OF THE HEN 

Once on a time the cock and the hen went to the nut 
mountain, and they agreed beforehand that whichever of them 
should find a nut was to divide it with the other. Now the 
hen found a great big nut, but said nothing about it, and was 
going to eat it all alone; but the kernel was such a fat one 
that she could not swallow it down, and it stuck in her throat, 
so that she was afraid she should choke. 

“Cock!” cried she, “run as fast as you can and fetch me 
some water, or I shall choke!” 

So the cock ran as fast as he could to the brook, and said, 
“Brook, give me some water, the hen is up yonder choking with 
a big nut stuck in her throat.” But the brook answered, “First 
run to the bride and ask her for some red silk.” 

So the cock ran to the bride and said, — 

“Bride, give me some red silk; the brook wants me to give 

4 


him some red silk; I want him to give me some water, for the 
hen lies yonder choking with a big nut stuck in her throat.” 

But the bride answered, — 

“ First go and fetch me my garland that hangs on a willow.” 
And the cock ran to the willow, and pulled the garland from 
the bough, and brought it to the bride, and the bride gave him 
red silk, and he brought it to the brook, and the brook gave 
him water. So then the cock brought the water to the hen, 
but alas, it was too late; the hen had choked in the meanwhile, 
and lay there dead. And the cock was so grieved that he cried 
aloud, and all the beasts came and lamented for the hen; and 
six mice built a little wagon on which to carry the poor hen to 
her grave; and when it was ready they harnessed themselves to 
it, and the cock drove. On the way they met the fox. 

« Halloa, cock,” cried he, “ where are you ofF to?” 

“To bury my hen,” answered the cock. 

“Can I come too?” said the fox. 


“Yes; if you follow behind,” said the cock. 

So the fox followed behind; and he was soon joined by the 
wolf, the bear, the stag, the lion, and all the beasts in the wood. 
And the procession went on till they came to a brook. 

“H ow shall we get over?” said the cock. Now in the brook 
there was a straw, and he said, — 

“I will lay myself across, so that you may pass over on me.” 
But when the six mice had got upon this bridge, the straw 
slipped and fell into the water, and they all tumbled in and were 
drowned. So they were as badly off as ever, when a coal came 
up and said he would lay himself across and they might pass 
over him; but no sooner had he touched the water than he 
hissed, went out, and was dead. A stone, seeing this, was touched 
with pity; and, wishing to help the cock, he laid himself across 
the stream. And the cock drew the wagon with the dead hen 
in it safely to the other side, and then began to draw the others 
who followed behind across too; but it was too much for him, 


the wagon turned over, and all tumbled into the water, one on 
the top of another, and were drowned. 

So the cock was left all alone with the dead hen; and he 
digged a grave and laid her in it, and he raised a mound above 
her, and sat himself down and lamented so sore that at last he 
died. And so they were all dead together. 




THE 


A F E N 


R 

There was once a queen, and she had a little daughter who 
was as yet a babe in arms; and once the child was so restless 
that the mother could get no peace, do what she would; so she 
lost patience — and seeing a flight of ravens passing over the 
castle, she opened the window and said to her child, — 

“Oh, that thou wert a raven, and couldst fly away, that I 
might be at peace.” 

No sooner had she uttered the words than the child was 
indeed changed into a raven, and fluttered from her arms out 
of the window. And she flew into a dark wood, and stayed 
there a long time, and her parents knew nothing of her. Once 
a man was passing through the wood, and he heard the raven 
cry, and he followed the voice; and when he came near it said, — 
“I was born a king’s daughter, and have been bewitched, but 
thou canst set me free.” 

8 





“What shall I do?” asked the man. 

“Go deeper into the wood,” said she, “and thou shalt find a 
house and an old woman sitting in it: she will offer thee meat 
and drink, but thou must take none; if thou eatest or drinkest 
thou fallest into a deep sleep, and canst not set me free at all. 
In the garden behind the house is a big heap of tan, stand upon 
that and wait for me. Three days, at about the middle of the 
day, shall I come to thee, in a car drawn by four white horses 
the first time, by four red ones the second time, and lastly by 
four black ones; and if thou art not waking, but sleeping, thou 
failest to set me free.” 

The man promised to do all she said. 

“But ah! ” cried she, “I know quite well I shall not be set free 
of thee; something thou wilt surely take from the old woman.” 

But the man promised yet once more that certainly he would 
not touch the meat or the drink. But when he came to the 
house the old woman came up to him. 


9 


“My poor man,” said she to him, “you are quite tired out, 
come and be refreshed, and eat and drink.” 

“No,” said the man; “I will eat and drink nothing.” 

But she left him no peace, saying, — 

“Even if you eat nothing, take a draught out of this cup 
once and away.” 

So he was over-persuaded, and he drank. 

In the afternoon, about two o’clock, he went out into the 
garden to stand upon the tan-heap and wait for the raven. As 
he stood there he felt all at once so tired that he could bear it 
no longer, and laid himself down for a little; but not to sleep. 
But no sooner was he stretched at length than his eyes closed 
of themselves, and he fell asleep; and slept so sound, as if nothing 
in the world could awaken him. 

At two o’clock came the raven in the car drawn by four 
white horses, but she was sad, knowing already that the man 
would be asleep; and so, when she came into the garden, there 


he lay sure enough. And she got out of the car, and shook him 
and called to him, but he did not wake. The next day at noon 
the old woman came and brought him meat and drink, but he 
would take none. But she left him no peace, and persuaded 
him until he took a draught out of the cup. About two o’clock 
he went into the garden to stand upon the tan-heap, and to wait 
for the raven, but he was overcome with so great a weariness 
that his limbs would no longer hold him up; and whether he 
would or no he had to lie down, and he fell into a deep sleep. 
And when the raven came up with her four red horses, she was 
sad, knowing already that the man would be asleep. And she 
went up to him, and there he lay, and nothing would wake him. 

The next day the old woman came and asked what was the 
matter with him, and if he wanted to die, that he would neither 
eat nor drink; but he answered, — 

“I neither can nor will eat and drink.” 

But she brought the dishes of food and the cup of wine, and 






placed them before him; and when the smell came in his nostrils 
he could not refrain, but took a deep draught. When the hour 
drew near, he went into the garden and stood on the tan-heap 
to wait for the king’s daughter; as time went on he grew more 
and more weary, and at last he laid himself down, and slept like 
a stone. At two o’clock came the raven with four black horses, 
and the car and all were black; and she was sad, knowing already 
that he was sleeping, and would not be able to set her free; and 
when she came up to him, there he lay and slept. She shook 
him and called to him, but she could not wake him. Then she 
laid a loaf by his side and some meat, and a flask of wine; for 
now, however much he ate and drank, it could not matter. * 
And she took a ring of gold from her finger, and put it on his 
finger, and her name was engraven on it. And lastly she laid 
by him a letter, in which was set down what she had given him, 
and that all was of no use; and further also it said, — 

“I see that here thou canst not save me; but if thy mind is 


to the thing, come to the golden castle of Stromberg. I know 
well that if thou willst thou canst.” And when all this was 
done, she got again into her car, and went to the golden castle 
of Stromberg. 

When the man waked up and perceived that he had been to 
sleep, he was sad at heart to think that she had been and gone, 
and that he had not set her free. Then, catching sight of what 
lay beside him, he read the letter that told him all. And he 
rose up, and set ofiF at once to go to the golden castle of 
Stromberg, though he knew not where it was. And when he 
had wandered about in the world for a long time, he came to a 
dark wood, and there spent a fortnight trying to find the way 
out, and not being able. At the end of this time, it being 
towards evening, he was so tired that he laid himself down 
under a clump of bushes and went to sleep. The next day he 
went on again; and in the evening, when he was going to lie 
down again to rest, he heard howlings and lamentations, so that 


he could not sleep. And about the hour when lamps are lighted, 
he looked up and saw a light glimmer in the forest; and he got 
up and followed it, and he found that it came from a house that 
looked very small indeed, because there stood a giant before it. 
And the man thought to himself that if he were to try to enter, 
and the giant were to see him, it would go hard but he should 
lose his life. At last he made up his mind and walked in. And 
the giant saw him. 

“I am glad thou art come,” said he; “it is now a long time 
since I have had anything to eat; I shall make a good supper 
of thee.” 

“That may be,” said the man, “but I shall not relish it; besides, 
if thou desirest to eat, I have somewhat here that may satisfy 
thee.” 

“If that is true,” answered the giant, “thou mayest make thy 
mind easy; it was only for want of something better that I 
wished to devour thee.” 


Then they went in and placed themselves at the table; and 
the man brought out bread, meat, and wine in plenty. 

“This pleases me well,” said the giant, and he ate to his heart’s 
content. After a while the man asked him if he could tell him 
where the golden castle of Stromberg was. 

“ I will look on my land-chart,” said the giant; “for on it all 
towns and villages and houses are marked.” 

So he fetched the land-chart, which was in his room, and 
sought for the castle, but it was not to be found. 

“Never mind,” said he; “I have up-stairs in the cupboard 
much bigger maps than this; we will have a look at them.” 
And so they did, but in vain. 

And now the man wanted to pursue his journey; but the 
giant begged him to stay a few days longer, until his brother, 
who had gone to get in a store of provisions, should return. 
When the brother came, they asked him about the golden castle 
of Stromberg. 


“When I have had time to eat a meal and be satisfied, I will 
look at the map.” 

That being done, he went into his room with them, and they 
looked at his maps, but could find nothing. Then he fetched 
other old maps, and they never left off searching until they found 
the golden castle of Stromberg; but it was many thousand miles 
away. 

“How shall I ever get there?” said the man. 

“I have a couple of hours to spare,” said the giant, “and I 
will set you on your way; but I shall have to come back and 
look after the child that we have in the house with us.” 

Then the giant bore the man until within about a hundred 
hours’ journey from the castle, and saying, — 

“You can manage the rest of the way by yourself,” he 
departed; and the man went on day and night, until at last he 
came to the golden castle of Stromberg. It stood on a mountain 
of glass, and he could see the enchanted princess driving round 


it, and then passing inside the gates. He was rejoiced when he 
saw her, and began at once to climb the mountain to get to 
her; but it was so slippery, as fast as he went he fell back 
again. And when he saw this he felt he should never reach 
her; and he was full of grief, and resolved at least to stay at the 
foot of the mountain and wait for her. So he built himself a 
hut, and sat there and waited a whole year; and every day he 
saw the princess drive round and pass in, and was never able to 
reach her. 

One day he looked out of his hut and saw three robbers 
fighting, and he called out, “Mercy on us!” Hearing a voice 
they stopped for a moment, but went on again beating one 
another in a dreadful manner. 

And he cried out again, “Mercy on us!” They stopped 
and listened, and looked about them, and then went on 
again. 

And he cried out a third time, “Mercy on us!” and then, 


thinking he would go and see what was the matter, he went 
out and asked them what they were fighting for. 

One of them told him he had found a stick which would 
open any door only by knocking at it; the second said he had 
found a cloak which, if he put it on, made him invisible; the 
third said he was possessed of a horse that would ride over 
everything, even the glass mountain. Now they had fought 
because they could not agree whether they should enjoy these 
things in common or separately. 

“ Suppose we make a bargain,” said the man; “it is true 
I have no money, but I have other things yet more valuable 
to exchange for these; I must, however, make trial of 
them beforehand, to see if you have spoken truth concerning 
them.” 

So they let him mount the horse, and put the cloak round 
him, and they gave him the stick into his hand, and as 
soon as he had all this he was no longer to be seen; but 

18 


etpca^n) wiomoft a? 







laying about him well, he gave them all a sound thrashing, 
crying out, — 

“Now you good-for-nothing fellows, you have got what you 
deserve; perhaps you will be satisfied now!” 

Then he rode up the glass mountain, and when he reached 
the castle gates he found them locked; but he beat with his 
stick upon the door, and it opened at once. And he walked 
in, and up the stairs to the great room where sat the princess 
with a golden cup and wine before her: she could not see him 
so long as the cloak was on him, but drawing near to her he 
pulled off the ring she had given him, and threw it into the 
cup with a clang. 

“This is my ring,” she cried; “and the man who is to set me 
free must be here too!” 

But though she sought through the whole castle she found 
him not. He had gone outside, seated himself on his horse, 
and thrown off the cloak. And when she came to look 


»9 






out at the door, she saw him, and shrieked out for joy; and 
he dismounted and took her in his arms, and she kissed him, 
saying, — 

“Now hast thou set me free from my enchantment, and 
to-morrow we will be married.” 







THE FROG PRINCE 

In the old times, when it was still of some use to wish for 
the thing one wanted, there lived a king whose daughters were 
all handsome; but the youngest was so beautiful that the sun 
himself, who has seen so much, wondered each time he shone- 
over her because of her beauty. Near the royal castle there 
was a great dark wood,, and in the wood under an old linden- 
tree was a well; and when the day was hot, the king’s daughter 
used to go forth into the wood, and sit by the brink of the 
cool well; and if the time seemed long, she would take out a 
golden ball, and throw it up and catch it again, and this was 
her favorite pastime. 

Now, it happened one day that the golden ball, instead of 
falling back into the maiden’s little hand which had sent it 
aloft, dropped to the ground near the edge of the well, and 

rolled in. The king’s daughter followed it with her eyes as it 

21 


sank; but the well was deep, so deep that the bottom could 
not be seen. Then she began to weep, and she wept and wept 
as if she could never be comforted. And in the midst of her 
weeping she heard a voice saying to her, — 

“What ails thee, king’s daughter? Thy tears would melt a 
heart of stone.” 

And when she looked to see where the voice came from, 
there was nothing but a frog stretching his thick ugly head out 
of the water. 

“Oh! is it you, old waddler?” said she; “I weep because 
my golden ball has fallen into the well.” 

“Never mind; do not weep,” answered the frog. “I can help 
you; but what will you give me if I fetch up your ball again?” 

“Whatever you like, dear frog,” said she; “any of my 
clothes, my pearls and jewels, or even the golden crown that 
I wear.” 

“Thy clothes, thy pearls and jewels, and thy golden crown 


22 


are not for me,” answered the frog; “but if thou wouldst love 
me, and have me for thy companion and playfellow, and let 
me sit by thee at table, and eat from thy plate, and drink from 
thy cup, and sleep in thy little bed — if thou wouldst promise 
all this, then would I dive below the water, and fetch thee thy 
golden ball again.” 

“Oh, yes!” she answered; “I will promise it all, whatever 
you want, if you will only get me my ball again.” 

But she thought to herself, “What nonsense he talks! As if 
he could do anything but sit in the water and croak with the 
other frogs, or could possibly be anyone’s companion!” 

But the frog, as soon as he heard her promise, drew his head 
under the water, and sank down out of sight; but after a while 
he came to the surface again with the ball in his mouth, and 
he threw it on the grass. 

The king’s daughter was overjoyed to see her pretty play- 
thing again, and she caught it up and ran off with it. 


43 


“Stop, stop!” cried the frog. “Take me up too; I cannot 
run as fast as you!” 

But it was of no use; for, croak, croak after her as he might, 
she would not listen to him, but made haste home, and very 
soon forgot all about the poor frog, who had to betake himself 
to his well again. 

The next day, when the king’s daughter was sitting at table 
with the king and all the court, and eating from her golden 
plate, there came something pitter-patter up the marble stairs; 
and then there came a knocking at the door, and a voice 
crying, — 

“Youngest king’s daughter, let me in!” 

And she got up and ran to see who it could be; but when 
she opened the door, there was the frog sitting outside. Then 
she shut the door hastily, and went back to her seat, feeling 
very uneasy. The king noticed how quickly her heart 
beating, and said, — 



was 


“My child, what are you afraid of? Is there a giant standing 
at the door ready to carry you away?” 

“Oh, no,” answered she; “no giant, but a horrid frog!” 

“And what does the frog want?” asked the king. 

“Oh, dear father,” answered she, “when I was sitting by the 
well yesterday, and playing with my golden ball, it fell into the 
water; and while I was crying for the loss of it, the frog came 
and got it again for me on condition I would let him be my 
companion; but I never thought that he could leave the water 
and come after me. But now there he is outside the door, and 
he wants to come in to me.” 

And then they all heard him knocking the second time, and 
crying, — 

“ Youngest king’s daughter, 

Open to me ! 

By the well water 

What promised you me? 

Youngest king’s daughter, 

Now open to me!” 

*5 


“That which thou hast promised must thou perform,” said 
the king. “So go now and let him in.” 

So she went and opened the door; and the frog hopped in, 
following at her heels, till she reached her chair. Then he 
stopped and cried, — 

“ Lift me up to sit by you.” 

But she delayed doing so until the king ordered her. When 
once the frog was on the chair, he wanted to get on the table; 
and there he sat and said, — 

“Now push your golden plate a little nearer, so that we may 
eat together.” 

And so she did, but everybody might see how unwilling she 
was. And the frog feasted heartily, but every morsel seemed 
to stick in her throat. 

“I have had enough now,” said the frog at last; “and as I 
am tired, you must carry me to your room, and make ready 
your silken bed, and we will lie down and go to sleep.” 


26 





iX *P tK* tr^ 


wMifflt iitoiffliiiiiifi J 







Then the king’s daughter began to weep, and was afraid of 
the cold frog that nothing would satisfy but he must sleep in 
her pretty, clean bed. Now the king grew angry with her, 
saying, — 

“ That which thou hast promised in thy time of necessity, 
must thou now perform.” 

So she picked up the frog with her finger and thumb, carried 
him up-stairs, and put him in a corner; and when she had lain 
down to sleep, he came creeping up, saying, “I am tired, and 
want sleep as much as you; take me up, or I will tell your 
father.” 

Then she felt beside herself with rage; and picking him 
up, she threw him with all her strength against the wall, 
crying, — 

“Now will you be quiet, you horrid frog?” 

But as he fell, he ceased to be a frog, and became all at once 
a prince with beautiful kind eyes. And it came to pass that, 


with her father s consent, they became bride and bridegroom. 
And he told her how a wicked witch had bound him by her 
spells, and how no one but she alone could have released him, 
and that they two would go together to his father’s kingdom. 
And there came to the door a carriage drawn by eight white 
horses, with white plumes on their heads, and with golden 
harness; and behind the carriage was standing faithful Henry, 
the servant of the young prince. Now, faithful Henry had 
suffered such care and pain when his master was turned into a 
frog, that he had been obliged to wear three iron bands over 
his heart, to keep it from breaking with trouble and anxiety. 
When the carriage started to take the prince to his kingdom, 
and faithful Henry had helped them both in, he got up behind, 
and was full of joy at his master’s deliverance. And when they 
had gone a part of the way, the prince heard a sound at the 
back of the carriage as if something had broken, and he turned 
round and cried, — 

28 


“Henry, the wheel must be breaking!” but Henry 
answered, — 

“The wheel does not break, 

’Tis the band round my heart. 

That, to lessen its ache, 

When I grieved for your sake, 

I bound round my heart.’* 

Again, and yet once again, there was the same sound; and 
the prince thought it must be the wheel breaking, but it was 
the breaking of the other bands from faithful Henry’s heart, 
because it was now so relieved and happy. 



THE CAT AND THE MOUSE , , PARTNERS 

A cat, having made acquaintance with a mouse, professed 
such great love and friendship for her, that the mouse at last 
agreed that they should live and keep house together. 

“We must make provision for the winter,” said the cat, “or 
we shall suffer hunger; and you, little mouse, must not stir 
out, or you will be caught in a trap.” 

So they took counsel together, and bought a little pot of 
fat. And then they could not tell where to put it for safety; 
but after long consideration the cat said there could not be a 
better place than the church, for nobody would steal there; 
and they would put it under the altar, and not touch it until 
they were really in want. So this was done, and the little pot 
placed in safety. 

But before long the cat was seized with a great wish to 
taste it. 


30 


“ Listen to me, little mouse,” said he; “I have been asked by 
my cousin to stand godfather to a little son she has brought 
into the world; he is white with brown spots; and they want 
to have the christening to-day, so let me go to it, and you stay 
at home and keep house.” 

“Oh, yes, certainly,” answered the mouse, “pray go by all 
means; and when you are feasting on all the good things, think 
of me; I should so like a drop of the sweet red wine.” 

But there was not a word of truth in all this; the cat had 
no cousin, and had not been asked to stand godfather. He 
went to the church, straight up to the little pot, and licked the 
fat off the top; then he took a walk over the roofs of the 
town, saw his acquaintances, stretched himself in the sun, and 
licked his whiskers as often as he thought of the little pot of 
fat; and then when it was evening he went home. 

“Here you are at last,” said the mouse; “I expect you have 
had a merry time.” 


“Oh, pretty well,” answered the cat. 

“And what name did you give the child?” asked the mouse. 

“Top-off,” answered the cat dryly. 

“Top-off!” cried the mouse, “that is a singular and wonder- 
ful name! is it common in your family?” 

“What does it matter?” said the cat; “it’s not any worse 
than Crumb-picker, like your godchild.” 

A little time after this the cat was again seized with a 
longing. 

“Again I must ask you,” said he to the mouse, “to do me a 
favor, and keep house alone for a day. I have been asked a 
second time to stand godfather; and as the little one has a 
white ring round its neck, I cannot well refuse.” 

So the kind little mouse consented; and the cat crept along 
by the town wall until he reached the church, and going 
straight to the little pot of fat, devoured half of it. 

“Nothing tastes so well as what one keeps to one’s self,” 


3 * 


said he, feeling quite content with his day’s work. When he 
reached home, the mouse asked what name had been given to 
the child. “ Half-gone,” answered the cat. 

“ Half-gone!” cried the mouse, “I never heard of such a name 
in my life! I’ll bet it’s not to be found in the calendar.” 

Soon after that the cat’s mouth began to water again for 
the fat. “Good things always come in threes,” said he to the 
mouse; “again I have been asked to stand godfather; the little 
one is quite black with white feet, and not any white hair on its 
body; such a thing does not happen every day, so you will let 
me go, won’t you?” 

“Top-off, Half-gone,” murmured the mouse; “they are such 
curious names, I cannot but wonder at them!” 

“That’s because you are always sitting at home,” said the 
cat, “in your little gray frock and hairy tail, never seeing the 
world, and fancying all sorts of things.” So the little mouse 
cleaned the house up, and set it all in order. Meanwhile 


33 


the greedy cat went and made an end of the little pot 
of fat. 

“Now all is finished, one’s mind will be easy,” said he, and 
came home in the evening quite sleek and comfortable. 

The mouse asked at once what name had been given to the 
third child. “It won’t please you any better than the others,” 
answered the cat. “It is called All-gone.” 

“All-gone!” cried the mouse. “What an unheard-of name! I 
never met with anything like it ! All-gone ! whatever can it mean ? ” 
And shaking her head, she curled herself round and went to 
sleep. After that the cat was not again asked to stand godfather. 

When the winter had come, and there was nothing more 
to be had out-of-doors, the mouse began to think of their 
store. “Come, cat,” said she, “we will fetch our pot of fat; 
how good it will taste, to be sure!” 

“Of course it will,” said the cat; “just as good as if you 
stuck your tongue out of the window!” 


34 



So they set out; and when they reached the place, they 
found the pot, but it was standing empty. 

“Oh, now I know what it all meant!” cried the mouse; 
“now I see what sort of a partner you have been! Instead of 
standing godfather you have devoured it all up; first Top-off*, 
then Half-gone, then” — 

“Will you hold your tongue?” screamed the cat; “another 
word and I devour you too!” 

And the poor little mouse, having “All-gone” on her 
tongue, out it came, and the cat leaped upon her and made an 
end of her. And that is the way of the world. 



35 


THE WOLF AND THE SEFEN GOSLINGS 


There was once an old goose who had seven little ones, and 
was as fond of them as ever mother was of her children. One 
day she had to go into the wood to fetch food for them, so she 
called them all round her. 

“Dear children,” said she, “I am going out into the wood; 
and while I am gone, be on your guard against the wolf; for if 
he were once to get inside he would eat you up, skin, bones, 
and all. The wretch often disguises himself, but he may 
always be known by his hoarse voice and black paws.” 

“Dear mother,” answered the goslings, “you need not 
be afraid; we will take good care of ourselves.” And the 
mother bleated good-by, and went on her way with an easy 
mind. 

It was not long before some one came knocking at the 
house-door, and crying out, — 


36 






‘‘Open the door, my dear children; your mother is come 
back, and has brought each of you something.” 

But the little geese knew it was the wolf by the hoarse 
voice. 

“We will not open the door,” cried they; “you are not our 
mother; she has a delicate and sweet voice, and your voice is 
hoarse; you must be the wolf.” 

Then off went the wolf to a shop, and bought a big lump 
of chalk, and ate it up to make his voice soft. And then he 
came back, knocked at the house-door, and cried, — 

“Open the door, my dear children; your mother is here, 
and has brought each of you something.” 

But the wolf had put up his black paws against the window; 
and the goslings, seeing this, cried out, — 

“We will not open the door; our mother has no black paws 
like you; you must be the wolf.” 

The wolf then ran to a baker. 


37 


“ Baker,” said he, “I am hurt in the foot; pray spread some 
dough over the place.” 

And when the baker had plastered his feet, he ran to the 
miller. 

“ Miller,” said he, “ strew me some white meal over my paws.” 
But the miller refused, thinking the wolf must be meaning 
harm to some one. 

“If you don’t do it,” cried the wolf, “I’ll eat you up!” 

And the miller was afraid, and did as he was told. And 
that just shows what men are. 

And now came the rogue the third time to the door and 
knocked. “Open, children,” cried he; “your dear mother has 
come home, and brought you each something from the wood.” 

“First show us your paws,” said the goslings, “so that we 
may know if you are really our mother or not.” 

And he put up his paws against the window; and when they 
saw that they were white, all seemed right, and they opened 


3 « 


the door; and when he was inside they saw it was the wolf, 
and they were terrified and tried to hide themselves. One ran 
under the table, the second got into the bed, the third into the 
oven, the fourth in the kitchen, the fifth in the cupboard, the 
sixth under the sink, the seventh in the clock-case. But the 
wolf found them all, and gave them short shrift; one after the 
other he swallowed down, all but the youngest, who was hid in 
the clock-case. And so the wolf, having got what he wanted, 
strolled forth into the green meadows, and laying himself down 
under a tree, he fell asleep. 

Not long after the mother goose came back from the wood; 
and, oh! what a sight met her eyes! the door was standing 
wide open, table, chairs, and stools, all thrown about, dishes 
broken, quilt and pillows torn off the bed. She sought her 
children, they were nowhere to be found. She called to each 
of them by name; but nobody answered, until she came to the 
name of the youngest. 


39 


“Here I am, mother,” a little voice cried, “here in the 
clock-case.” 

And so she helped him out, and heard how the wolf had 
come and eaten all the rest. And you may think how she 
cried for the loss of her dear children. At last in her grief she 
wandered out-of-doors, and the youngest gosling with her; and 
when they came into the meadow, there they saw the wolf 
lying under a tree, and snoring so that the branches shook. 
The mother goose looked at him carefully on all sides, and 
she noticed how something inside his body was moving and 
struggling. 

“Dear me!” thought she, “can it be that my poor children 
that he devoured for his evening meal are still alive?” And 
she sent the little gosling back to the house for a pair of shears, 
and needle and thread. Then she cut the wolf’s body open; 
and no sooner had she made one snip than out came the head 
of one of the goslings, and then another snip, and then one 


40 



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after the other the six little goslings all jumped out alive and 
well; for in his greediness the rogue had swallowed them down 
whole. How delightful this was! so they comforted their dear 
mother, and hopped about like tailors at a wedding. 

“Now fetch some good hard stones,” said the mother, “and 
we will fill his body with them as he lies asleep.” 

And so they fetched some in all haste, and put them inside 
him, and the mother sewed him up so quickly again that he 
was none the wiser. 

When the wolf at last awoke and got up, the stones inside 
him made him feel very thirsty; and as he was going to the 
brook to drink, they struck and rattled one against another. 
And so he cried out: — 

“What is this I feel inside me. 

Knocking hard against my bones? 

How should such a thing betide me! 

They were geese, and now they’re stones.” 

So he came to the brook, and stooped to drink; but the 



heavy stones weighed him down, so he fell over into the water 
and was drowned. And when the seven little geese saw it they 
came up running. 

“The wolf is dead, the wolf is dead!” they cried; and 
taking hands, they danced with their mother all about the 
place. 



4* 


THE WONDERFUL MUSICIAN 


There was once a wonderful musician, and he was one day 
walking through a wood all alone, thinking of this and that; and 
when he had nothing more left to think about, he said to himself, — 

“ I shall grow tired of being in this wood, so I will bring out 
a good companion.” 

So he took the fiddle that hung at his back, and fiddled so 
that the wood echoed. Before long a wolf came through the 
thicket and trotted up to him. 

“Oh, here comes a wolf! I had no particular wish for such 
company,” said the musician; but the wolf drew nearer, and 
said to him, — 

“Ho, you musician, how finely you play! I must learn how 
to play too.” 

“That is easily done,” answered the musician; “you have 
only to do exactly as I tell you.” 


43 


“O musician,” said the wolf, “ I will obey you as a scholar 
does his master.” 

The musician told him to come with him. As they went a 
part of the way together they came to an old oak-tree, which 
was hollow within and cleft through the middle. 

“Look here,” said the musician, “if you want to learn how 
to fiddle, you must put your forefeet in this cleft.” 

The wolf obeyed; but the musician took up a stone and 
quickly wedged both his paws with one stroke, so fast that the 
wolf was a prisoner, and there obliged to stop. 

“Stay there until I come back again,” said the musician; and 
went his way. After a while he said again to himself, — 

“I shall grow weary here in this wood: I will bring out 
another companion;” and he took his fiddle and fiddled away 
in the wood. Before long a fox came slinking through the trees. 

“Oh, here comes a fox!” said the musician; “I had no 
particular wish for such company.” 


The fox came up to him and said, — 

“O my dear musician, how finely you play! I must learn 
how to play too.” 

“That is easily done,” said the musician; “you have only to 
do exactly as I tell you.” 

“O musician,” answered the fox, “I will obey you as a 
scholar his master.” 

“Follow me,” said the musician; and as they went a part of 
the way together they came to a footpath with a high hedge on 
each side. Then the musician stopped, and taking hold of a 
hazel-branch bent it down to the earth, and put his foot on 
the end of it; then he bent down a branch from the other side, 
and said, “Come on, little fox, if you wish to learn something 
reach me your left forefoot.” 

The fox obeyed, and the musician bound the foot to the 
left-hand branch. 

“Now, little fox,” said he, “reach me the right one;” then 


45 




o 


9 - v ^ 




he bound it to the right-hand branch. And when he had seen 
that the knots were fast enough he let go, and the branches 
flew back and caught up the fox, shaking and struggling, in 
the air. 

“Wait there until I come back again,” said the musician; 
and went his way. 

By and by he said to himself, “I shall grow weary in this 
wood; I will bring out another companion.” 

So he took his fiddle, and the sound echoed through the 
wood. Then a hare sprang out before him. 

“Oh, here comes a hare!” said he; “that’s not what I want.” 

“Ah, my dear musician,” said the hare, “how finely you 
play! I should like to learn how to play too.” 

“That is soon done,” said the musician; “only you must do 
whatever I tell you.” 

“O musician,” answered the hare, “I will obey you as a 
scholar his master.” 


46 






So they went a part of the way together, until they came to 
a clear place in the wood where there stood an aspen-tree. 
The musician tied a long string round the neck of the hare, 
and knotted the other end of it to the tree. 

“Now then, courage, little hare! run twenty times round 
the tree!” cried the musician; and the hare obeyed. As he 
ran round the twentieth time the string had wound twenty 
times round the tree trunk, and the hare was imprisoned, and 
pull and tug as he would he only cut his tender neck with the 
string. “Wait there until I come back again,” said the 
musician; and walked on. 

The wolf meanwhile had struggled and pulled, and bitten at 
the stone, and worked away so long, that at last he made his 
paws free and got himself out of the cleft. Full of anger and 
fury he hastened after the musician to tear him to pieces. 
When the fox saw him run by he began groaning, and cried 
out with all his might, — 


47 


“O Brother wolf, come and help me! the musician has 
betrayed me.” The wolf then pulled the branches down, bit 
the knots in two, and set the fox free; and he went with 
him to take vengeance on the musician. They found the 
imprisoned hare, and set him likewise free, and then they all 
went on together to seek their enemy. 

The musician had once more played his fiddle, and this time 
he had been more fortunate. The sound had reached the ears 
of a poor woodcutter, who immediately, and in spite of himself, 
left his work, and, with his axe under his arm, came to listen to 
the music. 

“At last here comes the right sort of companion,” said the 
musician; “it was a man I wanted, and not wild animals.” 
And then he began to play so sweetly that the poor man stood 
as if enchanted, and his heart was filled with joy. And as he 
was standing there, up came the wolf, the fox, and the hare, 
and he could easily see that they meant mischief. Then he 


raised his shining axe, and stood in front of the musician, as 
if to say, — 

“ Whoever means harm to him had better take care of 
himself, for he will have to do with me!” 

Then the animals were frightened, and ran back into the 
wood; and the musician, when he had played once more to 
the man to show his gratitude, went on his way. 



49 


THE 


VAGABONDS 


The cock said to the hen, — 

“It is nutting-time; let us go together to the mountains and 
have a good feast for once, before the squirrels come and carry- 
all away.” 

“Yes,” answered the hen, “come along; we will have a jolly 
time together.” 

Then they set off together to the mountains, and as it was a 
fine day they stayed there till the evening. Now, whether it 
was that they had eaten so much, or because of their pride and 
haughtiness, I do not know; but they would not go home on 
foot: so the cock set to work to make a little carriage out of 
nutshells. When it was ready, the hen seated herself in it, and 
said to the cock, — 

“Now you can harness yourself to it.” 

“That’s all very fine,” said the cock, “I would sooner go 

5 ° 


home on foot than do such a thing; and I never agreed to it. 
I don’t mind being coachman, and sitting on the box; but as 
to drawing it myself, it’s quite out of the question.” 

As they were wrangling, a duck came quacking, — 

“You thieving vagabonds, who told you you might go to my 
mountain? Look out, or it will be the worse for you!” and 
flew at the cock with bill wide open. But the cock was not 
backward, and he gave the duck a good dig in the body, and 
hacked at her with his spurs so valiantly that she begged for 
mercy, and willingly allowed herself to be harnessed to the 
carriage. Then the cock seated himself on the box and was 
coachman; so off they went at a great pace, the cock crying 
out, “Run, duck, as fast as you can!” 

When they had gone a part of the way they met two foot 
passengers, — a pin and a needle. They cried, “Stop! stop!” 
and said that it would soon be blind-man’s holiday; that they 
could not go a step farther; that the ways were very muddy; 

5 » 


might they just get in for a little? they had been standing at 
the door of the tailors’ house of call, and had been delayed 
because of beer. 

The cock, seeing they were slender folks that would not 
take up a great deal of room, let them both step in, only they 
must promise not to tread on his toes nor on the hen’s. 

Late in the evening they came to an inn, and there they 
found that they could not go any farther that night, as the 
duck’s paces were not good, she waddled so much from side to 
side; so they turned in. The landlord at first made some 
difficulty; his house was full already, and he thought they had 
no very distinguished appearance. At last, however, when they 
had made many fine speeches, and had promised him the egg 
that the hen had laid on the way, and that he should keep the 
duck, who laid one every day, he agreed to let them stay the 
night; and so they had a very gay time. 

Early in the morning, when it was beginning to grow light, 

5 2 


and everybody was still asleep, the cock waked up the hen, 
fetched the egg, and made a hole in it, and they ate it up 
between them, and put the eggshell on the hearth. Then they 
went up to the needle, who was still sleeping, picked him up 
by his head, and stuck him in the landlord’s chair-cushion, and 
having also placed the pin in his towel, off they flew over the 
hills and far away. The duck, who had chosen to sleep in the 
open air, and had remained in the yard, heard the rustling of 
their wings, and, waking up, looked about till she found a 
brook, down which she swam a good deal faster than she had 
drawn the carriage. 

A few hours later the landlord woke, and, leaving his feather- 
bed, began washing himself; but when he took the towel to 
dry himself he drew the pin all across his face, and made a red 
streak from ear to ear. Then he went into the kitchen to 
light his pipe, but when he stooped towards the hearth to take 
up a coal, the eggshell flew in his eyes. 


S3 


“ Everything goes wrong this morning,” said he, and let 
himself drop, full of vexation, into his grandfather’s chair; but 
up he jumped in a moment, crying, “ Oh, dear!” for the needle 
had gone into him. 

Now he became angry, and had his suspicions of the guests 
who had arrived so late the evening before; and when he 
looked round for them they were nowhere to be seen. 

Then he swore that he would never more harbor such 
vagabonds, that consumed so much, paid nothing, and played 
such nasty tricks into the bargain. 



54 


THE BROTHER AND SISTER 


The brother took his sister’s hand and said to her, — 

“Since our mother died we have had no good days; our step- 
mother beats us every day, and if we go near her she kicks us 
away. We have nothing to eat but hard crusts of bread left 
over: the dog under the table fares better; he gets a good 
piece every now and then. If our mother only knew, how 
she would pity us! Come, let us go together out into the wide 
world!” 

So they went, and journeyed the whole day through fields 
and meadows and stony places, and if it rained the sister said, — 
“The skies and we are weeping together.” 

In the evening they came to a great wood, and they were so 
weary with hunger and their long journey that they climbed up 
into a high tree and fell asleep. 

The next morning, when they awoke, the sun was high in 


55 


heaven, and shone brightly through the leaves. Then said the 
brother, — 

“ Sister, I am thirsty; if I only knew where to find a brook, 
that I might go and drink! I almost think that I hear one 
rushing.” So the brother got down and led his sister by the 
hand, and they went to seek the brook. But their wicked 
stepmother was a witch, and had known quite well that the 
two children had run away, and had sneaked after them, as 
only witches can, and had laid a spell on all the brooks in the 
forest. So when they found a little stream flowing smoothly 
over its pebbles, the brother was going to drink of it; but the 
sister heard how it said in its rushing, — 

“He a tiger will be who drinks of me. 

Who drinks of me a tiger will be!” 

Then the sister cried, — 

“Pray, dear brother, do not drink, or you will become a 
wild beast, and will tear me in pieces.” 


56 


So the brother refrained from drinking, though his thirst was 
great, and he said he would wait till he came to the next brook. 
When they came to a second brook the sister heard it say, — 

“He a wolf will be who drinks of me, 

Who drinks of me a wolf will be!” 

Then the sister cried, — 

“Pray, dear brother, do not drink, or you will be turned 
into a wolf, and will eat me up!” 

So the brother refrained from drinking, and said, — 

“ I will wait until we come to the next brook, and then I 
must drink, whatever you say, my thirst is so great.” 

And when they came to the third brook the sister heard how 
in its rushing it said, — 

“Who drinks of me a fawn will be, 

He a fawn will be who drinks of me!” 

Then the sister said, — 

“O my brother, I pray drink not, or you will be turned into 
a fawn, and run away far from me.” 


57 


But he had already kneeled by the side of the brook and 
stooped and drunk of the water; and as the first drops passed 
his lips he became a fawn. 

And the sister wept over her poor lost brother, and the fawn 
wept also, and stayed sadly beside her. At last the maiden 
said, — 

“Be comforted, dear fawn; indeed I will never leave you.” 

Then she untied her golden girdle and bound it round the 
fawn’s neck, and went and gathered rushes to make a soft cord, 
which she fastened to him; and then she led him on, and they 
went deeper into the forest. 

And when they had gone a long, long way, they came at 
last to a little house, and the maiden looked inside, and as it 
was empty, she thought, — 

“We might as well live here.” 

And she fetched leaves and moss to make a soft bed for the 
fawn, and every morning she went out and gathered roots and 


58 


berries and nuts for herself, and fresh grass for the fawn, who 
ate out of her hand with joy, frolicking round her. At night, 
when the sister was tired, and had said her prayers, she laid her 
head on the fawn’s back which served her for a pillow, and 
softly fell asleep. 

And if only the brother could have got back his own shape 
again, it would have been a charming life. So they lived a 
long while in the wilderness alone. 

Now it happened that the king of that country held a great 
hunt in the forest. The blowing of the horns, the barking of 
the dogs, and the lusty shouts of the huntsmen, sounded 
through the wood, and the fawn heard them and was eager to 
be among them. 

“Oh,” said he to his sister, “do let me go to the hunt; I 
cannot stay behind any longer;” and begged so long that at 
last she consented. 

“But mind,” said she to him, “come back to me at night. 


59 


I must lock my door against the wild hunters; so, in order 
that I may know you, you must knock and say, < Little sister, 
let me in;’ and unless I hear that I shall not unlock the 
door.” 

Then the fawn sprang out, and felt glad and merry in the 
open air. The king and his huntsmen saw the beautiful 
animal, and began at once to pursue him; but they could not 
come within reach of him, for when they thought they were 
certain of him he sprang away over the bushes and disappeared. 
As soon as it was dark he went back to the little house, 
knocked at the door, and said, — 

“ Little sister, let me in.” 

Then the door was opened to him, and he went in, and 
rested the whole night long on his soft bed. The next 
morning the hunt began anew; and when the fawn heard the 
hunting-horns and the tally-ho of the huntsmen he could rest 
no longer, and said, — 


60 


“ Little sister, let me out, I must go.” The sister opened 
the door, and said, “Now, mind you must come back at night 
and say the same words.” 

When the king and his hunters saw the fawn with the golden 
collar again, they chased him closely, but he was too nimble 
and swift for them. This lasted the whole day; and at last 
the hunters surrounded him, and one of them wounded his foot 
a little, so that he was obliged to limp and to go slowly. 
Then a hunter slipped after him to the little house, and heard 
how he called out, “ Little sister, let me in,” and saw the door 
open and shut again after him directly. The hunter noticed 
all this carefully, went to the king, and told him all he had 
seen and heard. Then said the king, — 

“ To-morrow we will hunt again.” 

But the sister was very terrified when she saw that her fawn 
was wounded. She washed his foot, laid cooling leaves round 
it, and said, “ Lie down on your bed, dear fawn, and rest, that 

61 


you may be soon well.” The wound was very slight, so that 
the fawn felt nothing of it the next morning. And when he 
heard the noise of the hunting outside, he said, — 

“I cannot stay in, I must go after them; I shall not be 
taken easily again ! ” The sister began to weep, and said, — 

“I know you will be killed, and I left alone here in the 
forest, and forsaken of everybody. I cannot let you go!” 

“Then I shall die here with longing,” answered the fawn; 
“when I hear the sound of the horn I feel as if I should leap 
out of my skin.” 

Then the sister, seeing there was no help for it, unlocked 
the door with a heavy heart, and the fawn bounded away into 
the forest, well and merry. When the king saw him, he said 
to his hunters, — 

“Now, follow him up all day long till the night comes, and 
see that you do him no hurt.” 

So as soon as the sun had gone down, the king said to the 


62 


huntsmen, “Now, come and show me the little house in the 
wood.” 

And when he got to the door he knocked at it, and cried, — 

“ Little sister, let me in!” 

Then the door opened, and the king went in, and there 
stood a maiden more beautiful than any he had seen before. 
The maiden shrieked out when she saw, instead of the fawn, a 
man- standing there with a gold crown on his head. But the 
king looked kindly on her, took her by the hand, and said, — 

“Will you go with me to my castle, and be my dear wife?” 

“Oh, yes,” answered the maiden; “but the fawn must come 
too. I could not leave him.” And the king said, — 

“He shall remain with you as long as you live, and shall lack 
nothing.” Then the fawn came bounding in, and the sister 
tied the cord of rushes to him, and led him by her own hand 
out of the little house. 

The king put the beautiful maiden on his horse, and carried 



63 


her to his castle, where the wedding was held with great 
pomp; so she became lady queen, and they lived together 
happily for a long while; the fawn was well tended and 
cherished, and he gambolled about the castle garden. 

Now the wicked stepmother, whose fault it was that the 
children were driven out into the world, never dreamed but 
that the sister had been eaten up by wild beasts in the forest, 
and that the brother, in the likeness of a fawn, had been slain 
by the hunters. But when she heard that they were so happy, 
and that things had gone so well with them, jealousy and envy 
arose in her heart, and left her no peace; and her chief thought 
was how to bring misfortune upon them. 

Her own daughter, who was as ugly as sin, and had only one 
eye, complained to her, and said, — 

“ I never had the chance of being a queen.” 

“ Never mind,” said the old woman, to satisfy her; “when 
the time comes, I shall be at hand.” 


64 


After a while the queen brought a beautiful baby-boy into 
the world, and that day the king was out hunting. The old 
witch took the shape of the bed-chamber woman, and went 
into the room where the queen lay, and said to her, — 

“Come, the bath is ready; it will give you refreshment and 
new strength. Quick, or it will be cold.” 

Her daughter was within call, so they carried the sick queen 
into the bathroom, and left her there. And in the bathroom 
they had made a great fire, so as to suffocate the beautiful 
young queen. 

When that was managed, the old woman took her daughter, 
put a cap on her, and laid her in the bed in the queen’s place, 
gave her also the queen’s form and countenance, only she 
could not restore the lost eye. So, in order that the king 
might not remark it, she had to lie on the side where there 
was no eye. 

In the evening, when the king came home and heard that a 


65 


little son was born to him, he rejoiced with all his heart, and 
was going at once to his dear wife’s bedside to see how she did. 
Then the old woman cried hastily, — 

“For your life, do not draw back the curtains to let in the 
light upon her; she must be kept quiet.” So the king went 
away, and never knew that a false queen was lying in the bed. 

Now, when it was midnight and every one was asleep, the 
nurse, who was sitting by the cradle in the nursery and watching 
there alone, saw the door open and the true queen come in. 
She took the child out of the cradle, laid it in her bosom, and 
fed it. Then she shook out its little pillow, put the child back 
again, and covered it with the coverlet. 

She did not forget the fawn either; she went to him where 
he lay in the corner, and stroked his back tenderly. Then 
she went in perfect silence out at the door; and the nurse 
' next morning asked the watchmen if any one had entered the 
castle during the night, but they said they had seen no one. 


And the queen came many nights, and never said a word; 
the nurse saw her always, but she did not dare speak of it to 
any one. 

After some time had gone by in this manner, the queen 
seemed to find voice, and said one night, — 

“My child, my fawn, twice more I come to see. 

Twice more I come, and then the end must be. ,, 

The nurse said nothing; but as soon as the queen had 
disappeared she went to the king and told him all. The king 
said, — 

“Ah, heaven! what do I hear! I will myself watch by the 
child to-morrow night.” 

So at evening he went into the nursery; and at midnight the 
queen appeared, and said, — 


“My child, my fawn, once more I come to see, 
Once more I come, and then the end must be.” 


And she tended the child as she was accustomed to do before 
she vanished. The king dared not speak to her; but he 
watched again the following night, and heard her say, — 

“My child, my fawn, this once I come to see, 

This once I come, and now the end must be.” 

Then the king could contain himself no longer, but rushed 
towards her, saying, — 

“You are no other than my dear wife!” Then she 
answered, — 

“Yes, I am your dear wife;” and in that moment, by the 
grace of heaven, her life returned to her, and she was once 
more well and strong. 

Then she told the king the snare that the wicked witch 
and her daughter had laid for her. The king had them 
both brought to judgment, and sentence was passed upon 
them. The daughter was sent away into the wood, where 


68 



she was devoured by the wild beasts, and the witch was 
burned, and ended miserably. And as soon as her body was 
in ashes the spell was removed from the fawn, and he took 
human shape again; and then the sister and brother lived 
happily together until the end. 


69 



THE 


GOLDEN 


GOOSE 


There was a man who had three sons, the youngest of whom 
was called the Simpleton, and was despised, laughed at, and 
neglected on every occasion. It happened one day that the 
eldest son wished to go into the forest to cut wood; and before 
he went his mother gave him a delicious pancake and a flask 
of wine, that he might not suffer from hunger or thirst. When 
he came into the forest a little old gray man met him, who 
wished him good-day, and said, — 

“Give me a bit of cake out of your pocket, and let me have 
a drink of your wine; I am so hungry and thirsty.” 

But the prudent youth answered, — 

“Give you my cake and my wine? I haven’t got any; be 
off* with you.” 

And leaving the little man standing there, he went off*. 
Then he began to fell a tree; but had not been at it long 


70 


before he made a wrong stroke, and the hatchet hit him in the 
arm, so that he was obliged to go home and get it bound up. 
That was what came of the little gray man. 

Afterwards the second son went into the wood; and the 
mother gave to him, as to the eldest, a pancake and a flask of 
wine. The little old gray man met him also, and begged for a 
little bit of cake and a drink of wine. But the second son 
spoke out plainly, saying, — 

“What I give you I lose myself, so be o£F with you.” 

And leaving the little man standing there, he went off. The 
punishment followed: as he was chopping away at the tree, he 
hit himself in the leg so severely that he had to be carried 
home. 

Then said the Simpleton, — 

“Father, let me go for once into the forest to cut wood;” 
and the father answered, “Your brothers have hurt themselves 
by so doing; give it up, you understand nothing about it.” 

71 


But the Simpleton went on begging so long that the father 
said at last, — 

“Well, be off with you; you will only learn by experience.” 

The mother gave him a cake (it was only made with water, 
and baked in the ashes), and with it a flask of sour beer. 
When he came into the forest the little old gray man met him, 
and greeted him, saying, — 

“Give me a bit of your cake, and a drink from your flask; I 
am so hungry and thirsty.” 

And the Simpleton answered, “ I have only a flour-and-water 
cake and sour beer; but if that is good enough for you, let us 
sit down together and eat.” Then they sat down; and as the 
Simpleton took out his flour-and-water cake it became a rich 
pancake, and his sour beer became good wine; then they ate 
and drank, and afterwards the little man said, — 

“As you have such a kind heart, and share what you have 
so willingly, I will bestow good luck upon you. Yonder 


72 


stands an old tree; cut it down, and at its roots you will 
find something.” And thereupon the little man took his 
departure. 

The Simpleton went there, and hewed away at the tree; and 
when it fell he saw, sitting among the roots, a goose with 
feathers of pure gold. He lifted it out, and took it with him 
to an inn where he intended to stay the night. The landlord 
had three daughters who, when they saw the goose, were 
curious to know what wonderful kind of bird it was, and 
ended by longing for one of its golden feathers. The eldest 
thought, “I will wait for a good opportunity, and then I will 
pull out one of its feathers for myself;” and so, when the 
Simpleton was gone out, she seized the goose by its wing — but 
there her finger and hand had to stay, held fast. Soon after 
came the second sister with the same idea of plucking out one 
of the golden feathers for herself; but scarcely had she touched 
her sister than she also was obliged to stay, held fast. Lastly 


73 


came the third with the same intentions; but the others 
screamed out, — 

“Stay away! for Heaven’s sake, stay away!” 

But she did not see why she should stay away, and thought, 
“If they do so, why should not I?” and went towards them. 
But when she reached her sisters there she stopped, hanging on 
with them. And so they had to stay all night. The next 
morning the Simpleton took the goose under his arm and went 
away, unmindful of the three girls that hung on to it. The 
three had always to run after him, left and right, wherever his 
legs carried him. In the midst of the fields they met the 
parson, who, when he saw the procession, said, — 

“Shame on you, girls, running after a young fellow through 
the fields like this;” and forthwith he seized hold of the 
youngest by the hand to drag her away, but hardly had he 
touched her when he too was obliged to run after them 
himself. Not long after the sexton came that way; and 


74 


seeing the respected parson following at the heels of the three 
girls, he called out, — 

“Ho, your reverence, whither away so quickly? You forget 
that we have another christening to-day;” and he seized hold 
of him by his gown; but no sooner had he touched him than 
he was obliged to follow on too. As the five tramped on, one 
after another, two peasants with their hoes came up from the 
fields; and the parson cried out to them, and begged them to 
come and set him and the sexton free, but no sooner had they 
touched the sexton than they had to follow on too; and now 
there were seven following the Simpleton and the goose. 

By and by they came to a town where a king reigned, who 
had an only daughter who was so serious that no one could 
make her laugh; therefore the king had given out that whoever 
should make her laugh should have her in marriage. The 
Simpleton, when he heard this, went with his goose and his 
hangers-on into the presence of the king’s daughter; and as 


75 


soon as she saw the seven people following always one after the 
other, she burst out laughing, and seemed as if she could never 
stop. And so the Simpleton earned a right to her as his bride; 
but the king did not like him for a son-in-law, and made all 
kinds of objections, and said he must first bring a man who 
could drink up a whole cellar of wine. The Simpleton 
thought that the little gray man would be able to help him, 
and went out into the forest; and there, on the very spot 
where he felled the tree, he saw a man sitting with a very sad 
countenance. The Simpleton asked him what was the matter, 
and he answered, — 

“I have a great thirst, which I cannot quench: cold water 
does not agree with me; I have indeed drunk up a whole cask 
of wine, but what good is a drop like that?” 

Then said the Simpleton, — 

“ I can help you ; only come with me, and you shall have enough.” 

He took him straight to the king’s cellar; and the man sat 


Q) ^ 









































































































himself down before the big vats, and drank and drank, and 
before a day was over he had drunk up the whole cellarfull. 
The Simpleton again asked for his bride; but the king was 
annoyed that a wretched fellow called the Simpleton by every- 
body should carry off his daughter, and so he made new 
conditions. He was to produce a man who could eat up a 
mountain of bread. The Simpleton did not hesitate long, but 
ran quickly off to the forest; and there in the same place sat a 
man who had fastened a strap round his body, making a very 
piteous face, and saying, — 

“I have eaten a whole bake-house full of rolls, but what is 
the use of that when one is so hungry as I am ? My stomach 
feels quite empty, and I am obliged to strap myself together 
that I may not die of hunger.” 

The Simpleton was quite glad of this, and said, — 

“Get up quickly and come along with me, and you shall 
have enough to eat.” 


77 






He led him straight to the king’s courtyard, where all the 
meal in the kingdom had been collected and baked into a 
mountain of bread. The man out of the forest settled himself 
down before it and hastened to eat, and in one day the whole 
mountain had disappeared. 

Then the Simpleton asked for his bride the third time. The 
king, however, found one more excuse, and said he must have 
a ship that should be able to sail on land or on water. 

“So soon,” said he, “as you come sailing along with it, you 
shall have my daughter for your wife.” 

The Simpleton went straight to the forest, and there sat 
the little old gray man with whom he had shared his cake, and 
he said, — 

“I have eaten for you, and I have drunk for you, I will 
also give you the ship; and all because you were kind to me 
at the first.” 

Then he gave him the ship that could sail on land and 


7 8 



on water, and when the king saw it he knew he could no 
longer withhold his daughter. The marriage took place 
immediately; and at the death of the king the Simpleton 
possessed the kingdom and lived long and happily with his 
wife. 



79 



THE GALLANT TAILOR 

One summer morning a little tailor was sitting on his board 
near the window, and working cheerfully with all his might, 
when an old woman came down the street crying, — 

“ Good jelly to sell! good jelly to sell!” 

The cry sounded pleasant in the little tailor’s ears; so he put 
his head out of the window, and called out, — 

“Here, my good woman — come here, if you want a 
customer.” 

So the poor woman climbed the steps with her heavy basket, 
and was obliged to unpack and display all her pots to the 
tailor. He looked at every one of them, and lifting all the 
lids, applied his nose to each, and said at last, — 

“The jelly seems pretty good; you may weigh me out four 
half-ounces, or I don’t mind having a quarter of a pound.” 

The woman, who had expected to find a good customer, 


80 


gave him what he asked for, but went off angry and 
grumbling. 

“This jelly is the very thing for me,” cried the little tailor, 
“it will give me strength and cunning;” and he took down the 
bread from the cupboard, cut a whole round of the loaf, and 
spread the jelly on it, laid it near him, and went on stitching 
more gallantly than ever. All the while the scent of the sweet 
jelly was spreading throughout the room, where there were 
quantities of flies, who were attracted by it and flew to 

“Now, then, who asked you to come?” said the tailor, and 
drove the unbidden guests away. But the flies, not under- 
standing his language, were not to be got rid of like that, and 
returned in larger numbers than before. Then the tailor, not 
being able to stand it any longer, took from his chimney- 
corner a ragged cloth, and saying, — 

“Now, I’ll let you have it!” beat it among them unmerci- 


fully. When he ceased, and counted the slain, he found seven 
lying dead before him. 

“This is indeed somewhat,” he said, wondering at his own 
gallantry; “the whole town shall know this.” 

So he hastened to cut out a belt, and he stitched it, and put 
on it in large capital letters, “Seven at one blow!” 

“The town, did I say!” said the little tailor; “the whole 
world shall know it!” And his heart quivered with joy, like a 
lamb’s tail. 

The tailor fastened the belt round him, and began to think 
of going out into the world, for his workshop seemed too small 
for his worship. So he looked about in all the house for 
something that it would be useful to take with him; but he 
found nothing but an old cheese, which he put in his pocket. 
Outside the door he noticed that a bird had got caught in the 
bushes, so he took that and put it in his pocket with the cheese. 
Then he set out gallantly on his way, and as he was light and 


82 


active he felt no fatigue. The way led over a mountain; and 
when he reached the topmost peak he saw a terrible giant 
sitting there, and looking about him at his ease. The tailor 
went bravely up to him, called out to him, and said, — 

“ Comrade, good day! there you sit looking over the wide 
world! I am on my way thither to seek my fortune: have you 
a fancy to go with me?” 

The giant looked at the tailor contemptuously, and said, — 

“You little rascal! you miserable fellow!” 

“That may be!” answered the little tailor, and undoing his 
coat he showed the giant his belt; “you can read there whether 
I am a man or not!” 

The giant read: “Seven at one blow!” and thinking it 
meant men that the tailor had killed, felt at once more respect 
for the little fellow. But as he wanted to prove him, he took 
up a stone and squeezed it so hard that water came out 
of it. 


8? 


“Now you can do that,” said the giant; “that is, if you have 
the strength for it.” 

“That’s not much,” said the little tailor; “I call that play.” 
And he put his hand in his pocket and took out the cheese 
and squeezed it, so that the whey ran out of it. 

“Well,” said he, “what do you think of that?” 

The giant did not know what to say to it, for he could 
not have believed it of the little man. Then the giant 
took up a stone and threw it so high that it was nearly 
out of sight. 

“Now, little fellow, suppose you do that!” 

“Well thrown,” said the tailor; “but the stone fell back to 
earth again. I will throw you one that will never come back. 
So he felt in his pocket, took out the bird, and threw it into 
the air. And the bird, when it found itself at liberty, took 
wing, flew o£F, and returned no more. 

“What do you think of that, comrade?” asked the tailor. 


84 


“ There is no doubt that you can throw,” said the giant; 
“but we will see if you can carry.” 

He led the little tailor to a mighty oak-tree which had been 
felled, and was lying on the ground, and said, — 

“Now, if you are strong enough, help me to carry this tree 
out of the wood.” 

“Willingly,” answered the little man; “you take the trunk 
on your shoulders, I will take the branches with all their 
foliage, that is much the most difficult.” 

So the giant took the trunk on his shoulders, and the tailor 
seated himself on a branch; and the giant, who could not see 
what he was doing, had the whole tree to carry, and the little 
man on it as well. And the little man was very cheerful and 
merry, and whistled the tune: “ There were three tailors riding 
by” as if carrying the tree was mere child’s play. The giant, 
when he had struggled on under his heavy load a part of the 
way, was tired out, and cried, — 

85 


“Look here, I must let go the tree!” 

The tailor jumped off quickly, and taking hold of the tree 
with both arms, as if he were carrying it, said to the giant, — 

“You see you can’t carry the tree though you are such a big 
fellow ! ” 

They went on together a little farther, and presently they 
came to a cherry-tree; and the giant took hold of the topmost 
branches, where the ripest fruit hung, and pulling them down- 
wards, gave them to the tailor to hold, bidding him eat. But 
the little tailor was much too weak to hold the tree, and as the 
giant let go, the tree sprang back, and the tailor was caught up 
into the air. And when he dropped down again without any 
damage, the giant said to him, — 

“H ow is this? haven’t you strength enough to hold such a 
weak sprig as that?” 

“It is not strength that is lacking,” answered the little tailor; 
“how should it to one who has slain seven at one blow! I just 


86 


jumped over the tree because the hunters are shooting down 
there in the bushes. You jump it too, if you can.” 

The giant made the attempt, and not being able to vault 
the tree, he remained hanging in the branches, so that once 
more the little tailor got the better of him. Then said the 
giant, — 

“As you are such a gallant fellow, suppose you come with 
me to our den, and stay the night.” 

The tailor was quite willing, and he followed him. When 
they reached the den, there sat some other giants by the fire, 
and each had a roasted sheep in his hand, and was eating it. 
The little tailor looked round and thought, — 

“There is more elbow-room here than in my workshop.” 

And the giant showed him a bed, and told him he had better 
lie down upon it and go to sleep. The bed was, however, too 
big for the tailor, so he did not stay in it, but crept into a 
corner to sleep. As soon as it was midnight the giant got up, 


took a great staff of iron, and beat the bed through with one 
stroke, and supposed he had made an end of that grasshopper 
of a tailor. Very early in the morning the giants went into 
the wood and forgot all about the little tailor; and when they 
saw him coming after them alive and merry, they were terribly 
frightened, and, thinking he was going to kill them, they ran 
away in all haste. 

So the little tailor marched on, always following his nose. 
And after he had gone a great way he entered the courtyard 
belonging to a king’s palace, and there he felt so overpowered 
with fatigue that he lay down and fell asleep. In the mean- 
while came various people, who looked at him very curiously, 
and read on his belt, “ Seven at one blow!” 

“Oh!” said they, “why should this great lord come here in 
time of peace? What a mighty champion he must be!” 

Then they went and told the king about him; and they 
thought that if war should break out what a worthy and useful 


man he would be, and that he ought not to be allowed to 
depart at any price. The king then summoned his council, 
and sent one of his courtiers to the little tailor to beg 
him, so soon as he should wake up, to consent to serve 
in the king’s army. So the messenger stood and waited at 
the sleeper’s side until his limbs began to stretch, and his 
eyes to open, and then he carried his answer back. And the 
answer was, — 

“That was the reason for which I came,” said the little 
tailor; “I am ready to enter the king’s service.” 

So he was received into it very honorably, and a separate 
dwelling set apart for him. 

But the rest of the soldiers were very much set against the 
little tailor, and they wished him a thousand miles away. 

“What shall be done about it?” they said among themselves; 
“if we pick a quarrel and fight with him, then seven of us will 
fall at each blow. That will be of no good to us.” 


89 


So they came to a resolution, and went all together to the 
king to ask for their discharge. 

“We never intended,” said they, “to serve with a man who 
kills seven at a blow.” 

The king felt sorry to lose all his faithful servants because of 
one man; and he wished that he had never seen him, and 
would willingly get rid of him if he might. But he did not 
dare to dismiss the little tailor for fear he should kill all the 
king’s people, and place himself upon the throne. He thought 
a long while about it, and at last made up his mind what to 
do. He sent for the little tailor, and told him that as he was 
so great a warrior he had a proposal to make to him. He told 
him that in a wood in his dominions dwelt two giants, who 
did great damage by robbery, murder, and fire, and that no 
man durst go near them for fear of his life. But that if the 
tailor should overcome and slay both these giants the king 
would give him his only daughter in marriage, and half his 


90 


kingdom as dowry, and that a hundred horsemen should go 
with him to give him assistance. 

“That would be something for a man like me!” thought the 
little tailor; “a beautiful princess and half a kingdom are not 
to be had every day;” and he said to the king, — 

“Oh, yes, I can soon overcome the giants, and yet have no 
need of the hundred horsemen; he who can kill seven at one 
blow need not be afraid, of two.” 

So the little tailor set out, and the hundred horsemen 
followed him. When he came to the border of the wood he 
said to his escort, — 

“Stay here while I go to attack the giants.” 

Then he sprang into the wood, and looked about him right 
and left. After a while he caught sight of the two giants. 
They were lying down under a tree asleep, and snoring so that 
all the branches shook. The little tailor, all alive, filled both 
his pockets with stones and climbed up into the tree, and made 

si 


his way to an overhanging bough, so that he could seat himself 
just above the sleepers; and from there he let one stone after 
another fall on the chest of one of the giants. For a long 
time the giant was quite unaware of this; but at last he 
waked up and pushed his comrade, and said, — 

“What are you hitting me for?” 

“You are dreaming,” said the other; “I am not touching 
you.” And they composed themselves again to sleep, and the 
tailor let fall a stone on the other giant. 

“What can that be?” cried he; “what are you casting 
at me?” 

“I am casting nothing at you,” answered the first, grumbling. 

They disputed about it for a while; but as they were tired, 
they gave it up at last, and their eyes closed once more. Then 
the little tailor began his game anew, picked out a heavier 
stone, and threw it down with force upon the first giant’s 
chest. 


9 a 


“This is too much!” cried he, and sprang up like a madman, 
and struck his companion such a blow that the tree shook 
above them. The other paid him back with ready coin; and 
they fought with such fury that they tore up trees by their 
roots to use for weapons against each other, so that at last they 
both of them lay dead upon the ground. And now the little 
tailor got down. 

“Another piece of luck!” said he, — “that the tree I was 
sitting in did not get torn up too, or else I should have had to 
jump like a squirrel from one tree to another.” 

Then he drew his sword, and gave each of the giants a 
few hacks in the breast, and went back to the horsemen 
and said, — 

“The deed is done; I have made an end of both of them; 
but it went hard with me. In the struggle they rooted up 
trees to defend themselves, but it was of no use, they had to do 
with a man who can kill seven at one blow.” 


93 



“Then are you not wounded?” asked the horsemen. 

“Nothing of the sort,” answered the tailor; “I have not 
turned a hair.” 

The horsemen still would not believe it, and rode into 
the wood to see; and there they found the giants 
wallowing in their blood, and all about them lying the 
uprooted trees. 

The little tailor then claimed the promised boon; but the 
king repented him of his offer, and he sought again how to rid 
himself of the hero. 

“Before you can possess my daughter and the half of my 
kingdom,” said he to the tailor, “you must perform another 
heroic' act. In the wood lives a unicorn who does great 
damage; you must secure him.” 

“A unicorn does not strike more terror into me than two 
giants. Seven at one blow — that is my way,” was the tailor’s 
answer. 

94 


So, taking a rope and an axe with him, he went out into the 
wood, and told those who were ordered to attend him to wait 
outside. He had not far to seek; the unicorn soon came out 
and sprang at him, as if he would make an end of him without 

“ Softly, softly,” said he, “most haste, worst speed;” and 
remained standing until the animal came quite near; then 
he slipped quietly behind a tree. The unicorn ran with 
all his might against the tree and stuck his horn so deep 
into the trunk that he could not get it out again, and so 
was taken. 

“Now I have you,” said the tailor, coming out from behind 
the tree; and, putting the rope round the unicorn’s neck, he 
took the axe, set free the horn, and when all his party were 
assembled he led forth the animal and brought it to the 
king. 

The king did not yet wish to give him the promised reward, 

95 


and set him a third task to do. Before the wedding could take 
place the tailor was to secure a wild boar which had done a 
great deal of damage in the wood. 

The huntsmen were to accompany him. 

“All right,” said the tailor, “this is child’s play.” 

But he did not take the huntsmen into the wood, and they 
were all the better pleased; for the wild boar had many a time 
before received them in such a way that they had no fancy to 
disturb him. When the boar caught sight of the tailor he ran 
at him with foaming mouth and gleaming tusks to bear him to 
the ground; but the nimble hero rushed into a chapel which 
chanced to be near, and jumped quickly out of a window on 
the other side. The boar ran after him, and when he got inside 
the door shut after him, and there he was imprisoned; for the 
creature was too big and unwieldy to jump out of the window 
too. 

Then the little tailor called the huntsmen that they might 


$>6 














see the prisoner with their own eyes; and then he betook 
himself to the king, who now, whether he liked it or not, 
was obliged to fulfil his promise, and give him his daughter 
and the half of his kingdom. But if he had known that 
the great warrior was only a little tailor he would have 
taken it still more to heart. So the wedding was celebrated 
with great splendor and little joy, and the tailor was made 
into a king. 

One night the young queen heard her husband talking in 
his sleep, and saying, — 

“Now, boy, make me that waistcoat and patch me those 
breeches, or I will lay my yard-measure about your shoulders!” 

And so, as she perceived of what low birth her husband 
was, she went to her father the next morning and told him 
all, and begged him to set her free from a man who was 
nothing better than a tailor. The king bade her be comforted, 
saying, — 


97 


“To-night leave your bedroom door open: my guard shall 
stand outside, and when he is asleep they shall come in and 
bind him, and carry him off to a ship, and he shall be sent to 
the other side of the world.” 

So the wife felt consoled; but the king’s water-bearer, who 
had been listening all the while, went to the little tailor and 
disclosed to him the whole plan. 

“ I shall put a stop to all this,” said he. 

At night he lay down as usual in bed; and when his wife 
thought he was asleep, she got up, opened the door and lay 
down again. The little tailor, who only made believe to be 
asleep, began to murmur plainly, — 

“Now, boy, make me that waistcoat and patch me those 
breeches, or I will lay my yard-measure about your shoulders! 
I have slain seven at one blow, killed two giants, caught a 
unicorn, and taken a wild boar, and shall I be afraid of those 
who are standing outside my room door?” 


98 




And when they heard the tailor say this, a great fear seized 
them; they fled away as if they had been wild hares, and none 
of them would venture to attack him. 

And so the little tailor all his lifetime remained a king. 



99 


THE MOUSE , THE BIRD AND THE SAUSAGE 

Once on a time, a mouse and a bird and a sausage lived and 
kept house together in perfect peace among themselves, and in 
great prosperity. It was the bird’s business to fly to the forest 
every day and bring back wood. The mouse had to draw the 
water, make the fire, and set the table; and the sausage had to 
do the cooking. Nobody is content in this world; much will 
have more! One day the bird met another bird on the way, 
and told him of his excellent condition in life. But the other 
bird called him a poor simpleton to do so much work, while 
the two others led easy lives at home. 

When the mouse had made up her fire and drawn water, she 
went to rest in her little room until it was time to lay the 
cloth. The sausage stayed by the saucepans, looked to it that 
the victuals were well cooked, and just before dinner-time he 
stirred the broth or the stew three or four times well round 


IOO 


himself, so as to enrich and season and flavor it. Then the 
bird used to come home and lay down his load; and they sat 
down to table, and after a good meal they would go to bed 
and sleep their fill till the next morning. It really was a most 
satisfactory life. 

But the bird came to the resolution next day never again to 
fetch wood. He had, he said, been their slave long enough; 
now they must change about and make a new arrangement. 
So in spite of all the mouse and the sausage could say, the bird 
was determined to have his own way. So they drew lots to 
settle it. And it fell so that the sausage was to fetch wood; 
the mouse was to cook; and the bird was to draw water. 

Now see what happened. The sausage went away after 
wood, the bird made up the fire, and the mouse put on the 
pot, and they waited until the sausage should come home, 
bringing the wood for the next day. But the sausage was 
absent so long, that they thought something must have hap- 

10* 


pened to him; and the bird went part of the way to see if he 
could see anything of him. Not far off he met with a dog on 
the road, who, looking upon the sausage as lawful prey, had 
picked him up, and made an end of him. The bird then 
lodged a complaint against the dog as an open and flagrant 
robber; but it was all no good, as the dog declared that he 
had found forged letters upon the sausage, so that he deserved 
to lose his life. 

The bird then very sadly took up the wood and carried 
it home himself, and related to the mouse all he had seen 
and heard. They were both very troubled, but determined 
to look on the bright side of things, and still to remain 
together. And so the bird laid the cloth, and the mouse 
prepared the food, and finally got into the pot, as the sausage 
used to do, to stir and flavor the broth; but then she had 
to part with fur and skin, and lastly with life ! 

And when the bird came to dish up the dinner, there 


102 





was no cook to be seen; and he turned over the heap of 
wood, and looked and looked, but the cook never appeared 
again. By accident the wood caught fire, and the bird 
hastened to fetch water to put it out. But he let fall the 
bucket in the well, and himself after it; and as he could not 
get out again, he was obliged to be drowned. 



103 


LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD 


There was once a sweet little maid, much beloved by every- 
body, but most of all by her grandmother, who never knew 
how to make enough of her. Once she sent her a little riding 
hood of red velvet; and as it was very becoming to her, and 
she never wore anything else, people called her Little Red 
Riding Hood. One day her mother said to her, — 

“Come, Little Red Riding Hood, here are some cakes and 
a flask of wine for you to take to grandmother; she is 
weak and ill, and they will do her good. Make haste and 
start before it grows hot, and walk properly and nicely, and 
don’t run, or you might fall and break the flask of wine, and 
there would be none left for grandmother. And when you go 
into her room, don’t forget to say < Good-morning,’ instead of 
staring about you.” 

“I will be sure to take care,” said Little Red Riding Hood 


104 


to her mother, and gave her hand upon it. Now, the grand- 
mother lived away in the wood, half-an-hour’s walk from the 
village; and when Little Red Riding Hood had reached the 
wood, she met the wolf; but as she did not know what a bad 
sort of animal he was, she did not feel frightened. 

“ Good-day, Little Red Riding Hood,” said he. 

“ Thank you kindly, Wolf,” answered she. 

“Where are you going so early, Little Red Riding Hood?” 

“To my grandmother’s.” 

“What are you carrying under your apron?” 

“Cakes and wine; we baked yesterday; and my grand- 
mother is very weak and ill, so they will do her good, and 
strengthen her.” 

“Where does your grandmother live, Little Red Riding 
Hood?” 

“A quarter-of-an-hour’s walk from here; her house stands 
beneath the three oak-trees, and you may know it by the 

i°5 


hazel-bushes,” said Little Red Riding Hood. The wolf 
thought to himself, — 

“That tender young thing would be a delicious morsel, and 
would taste better than the old one; I must manage somehow 
to get both of them.” 

Then he walked by Little Red Riding Hood a little while, 
and said, — 

“Little Red Riding Hood just look at the pretty flowers 
that are growing all round you, and I don’t think you are 
listening to the song of the birds; you are posting along just 
as if you were going to school, and it is so delightful out here 
in the wood.” 

Little Red Riding Hood glanced round her; and when she 
saw the sunbeams darting here and there through the trees, and 
lovely flowers everywhere, she thought to herself, — 

“If I were to take a fresh nosegay to my grandmother she 
would be very pleased, and it is so early in the day that I shall 

106 


reach her in plenty of time;” and so she ran about in the 
wood, looking for flowers. And as she picked one she saw a 
still prettier one a little farther off*, and so she went farther and 
farther into the wood. But the wolf went straight to the 
grandmother’s house and knocked at the door. 

“Who is there?” cried the grandmother. 

“Little Red Riding Hood,” he answered; “and I have 
brought you some cake and wine. Please open the door.” 

“Lift the latch,” cried the grandmother; “I am too feeble 
to get up.” 

So the wolf lifted the latch, and the door flew open; and he 
fell on the grandmother and ate her up without saying one 
word. Then he drew on her clothes, put on her cap, lay 
down in her bed, and drew the curtains. 

Little Red Riding Hood was all this time running about 
among the flowers; and when she had gathered as many as she 
could hold, she remembered her grandmother, and set off to go 


107 


to her. She was surprised to find the door standing open; and 
when she came inside she felt very strange, and thought to 
herself, — 

“Oh, dear, how uncomfortable I feel; and I was so glad 
this morning to go to my grandmother!” 

And when she said “Good morning,” there was no answer. 
Then she went up to the bed and drew back the curtains. 
There lay the grandmother with her cap pulled over her eyes, 
so that she looked very odd. 

“O grandmother, what large ears you have got!” 

“The better to hear with.” 

“O grandmother, what great eyes you have got!” 

“The better to see with.” 

“O grandmother, what large hands you have got!” 

“The better to take hold of you with.” 

“ But, grandmother, what a terrible large mouth you have got! ” 

“The better to devour you!” And no sooner had the wolf 

108 


said it than he made one bound from the bed, and swallowed 
up poor Little Red Riding Hood. 

Then the wolf, having satisfied his hunger, lay down again in 
the bed, went to sleep, and began to snore loudly. The 
huntsman heard him as he was passing by the house, and 
thought, — 

“H ow the old woman snores! I had better see if there is 
anything the matter with her.” 

Then he went into the room, and walked up to the bed, 
and saw the wolf lying there. 

“At last I find you, you old sinner!” said he; “I have been 
looking for you a long time.” And he made up his mind that 
the wolf had swallowed the grandmother whole, and that she 
might yet be saved. So he did not fire, but took a pair of 
shears and began to slit up the wolf’s body. When he made a 
few snips, Little Red Riding Hood appeared, and after a few 
more snips she jumped out and cried, “Oh, dear, how frightened 


109 


I have been! it is so dark inside the wolf.” And then out 
came the old grandmother, still living and breathing. But 
Little Red Riding Hood went and quickly fetched some large 
stones, with which she filled the wolf’s body; so that when he 
waked up, and was going to rush away, the stones were so 
heavy that he sank down and fell dead. 

They were all three very pleased. The huntsman took off 
the wolf’s skin, and carried it home. The grandmother ate 
the cakes, and drank the wine, and held up her head again; 
and Little Red Riding Hood said to herself that she would 
never more stray about in the wood alone, but would mind 
what her mother told her. 

It must also be related how a few days afterwards, when 
Little Red Riding Hood was again taking cakes to her grand- 
mother, another wolf spoke to her, and wanted to tempt her to 
leave the path; but she was on her guard, and went straight on 
her way, and told her grandmother how that the wolf had met 


no 











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her, and wished her good-day, but had looked so wicked about 
the eyes that she thought if it had not been on the high road 
he would have devoured her. 

“Come,” said the grandmother, “we will shut the door, so 
that he may not get in.” 

Soon after came the wolf knocking at the door, and calling 
out, “Open the door, grandmother, I am Little Red Riding 
Hood, bringing you cakes.” But they remained still, and did 
not open the door. After that the wolf slunk by the house, 
and got at last upon the roof to wait until Little Red Riding 
Hood should return home in the evening; then he meant to 
spring down upon her, and devour her in the darkness. But 
the grandmother discovered his plot. Now, there stood before 
the house a great stone trough; and the grandmother said to 
the child, “Little Red Riding Hood, I was boiling sausages 
yesterday, so take the bucket, and carry away the water they 
were boiled in, and pour it into the trough.” 



And Little Red Riding Hood did so until the great trough 
was quite full. When the smell of the sausages reached the 
nose of the wolf he snuffed it up, and looked round, and 
stretched out his neck so far that he lost his balance and began 
to slip; and he slipped down off the roof straight into the 
great trough, and was drowned. Then Little Red Riding 
Hood went cheerfully home, and came to no harm. 








OCT 12 1909 



















































